Advancements in air and space travel have resulted in the expansion of requirements for systems used while also resulting in increasingly limited space. Typically, systems associated with air and space crafts, such as active thermal control systems and navigation systems, may be tightly packed into a small environmentally controlled volume, such as an avionics bay. As the systems are designed to be in closer proximity, the possibility of interference between the systems increases. A significant source of interference may occur due to condensation that may form on cool surfaces, such as a coolant tube of an active thermal control unit. The condensation may potentially come into contact with water-sensitive equipment, such as electrical circuitry, thereby causing it to malfunction.
In order to prevent condensation from forming, a thick layer (e.g., up to 8 inches) of insulation may be applied to cool surfaces. The thick layer of insulation may protect against condensation during exposure to a wide range of environmental conditions associated with air and/or space travel. However, due to space limitations thick layers of insulation may not always be practical. Other disadvantages may exist.